Ausmerzer

The Ausmerzer is a large fortified airborne platform used by the Nazis to transport troops. It is first seen during the attack on the Eva's Hammer at the beginning of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus and subsequently plays a significant role in the game's plot.

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The Ausmerzer was built and put into service around 1951, as a sort of "guard" of the new American order, similar to the London Monitor in Britain. In the years that followed it would crush large-scale resistance to Nazi dominion across the United States during the so-called Liberation War, under the command of Gernot Herrmann. Though smaller cells including a far-left faction in New Orleans and the remnants of the Black Revolutionary Front in Manhattan were able to escape its wrath.

Sometime in late 1960-early 1961 command of the Ausmerzer was transferred to Irene Engel, who was promoted to general during her tenure in this position, and Oberleutnant Anselm Decker. Engel used the craft to track down the resistance-controlled Eva's Hammer in the northern Atlantic ocean, following signals transmitted by Nazis hidden inside Section F of the U-Boat; an assault upon the Hammer by the Auzmerzer's complement of troops was attempted on June 25 but was repelled, though it succeeded in killing numerous Kreisau Circle members including Caroline Becker.

On 12 August 1961 the Ausmerzer was wrested from Nazi control in a joint operation by the Kreisau Circle and two American resistance cells led by Grace Walker and Horton Boone respectively, to prevent it from resuming its former role during their planned uprising. Sigrun Engel provided them with the password to override the airship's automated defence systems and William J. Blazkowicz and Anya Oliwa slaughtered the troops on board; in resistance hands it will presumably be turned against its former masters during the Second American Revolution.

It is currently unknown if the Ausmerzer is the only unit of its type or if others are present in different parts of the world.

Befitting its role as a counter-insurgency platform, a role requiring quick and precise strategic movement, the Ausmerzer's anti-gravity engine allows it to move rapidly across the vast breadth of the continental United States. It transports a large complement of mobile forces including infantry, Super Soldiers of both the Supersoldaten, ÜberSoldaten , at least one Panzerhund, a Zitadelle unit, two Zerstörers and even smaller vehicles, including a complement of Silberfish submersibles.

In addition to its garrison the Ausmerzer itself is heavily armed - observed weapons include Lasergewehren on pintle mounts throughout interior and exterior areas, deck-mounted flak and artillery cannons, depth charges for attacking submerged targets, ventral launchers loaded with guided air-to-air missiles and rocket-propelled transport pods used to rapidly deploy Super Soldiers into battle, even onto its own outside decks. It's hardened against electromagnetic pulses, as demonstrated when it remains operational in close proximity to a nuclear explosion in New Orleans, and it can deploy extendable cables fitted with claws or large magnets to grab objects below it; its engine power is such that in addition to lifting its own mass it can uproot an entire house from the ground or forcibly surface submerged U-boats when the cables are deployed. It is also known to be equipped with radar.

Operation of the Ausmerzer is heavily automated by way of the ODIN computer system. The interface for this system is divided into a main control centre and the subsidiary HUGIN and MUNIN control centres which control the port and starboard side defences respectively. While Decker believed that ODIN was the most sophisticated system of its kind in the world, at least one technician who worked on the Ausmerzer suggested that it was actually quite outdated and in need of modernisation by 1961; this was never actually done as it was decided that the airship would be too vulnerable without its automated defences during the refit. Despite the Ausmerzer's high strategic value the computer security for ODIN is less than stellar: all three control centres have the same password, namely the word "Valhalla", which when entered allows complete control over all systems slaved to that computer.

According to maintenance report, if the anti-gravity field engine is over-exerted it could detonate with force comparable to a nuclear explosion.

It is speculated that platforms such as the Ausmerzer have replaced, or will come to replace, the more traditional Zeppelins seen in previous games..

The discipline among the Ausmerzer's crew and garrison is quite strict since a commander in charge of maintenance threatens to throw any soldier or technician who violates control protocol into the ocean.

The fire hatchets in the Ausmerzer are often being misplaced by careless soldiers.

The names assigned to the automated defence system reflect the Nazis' frequent appropriation of names and imagery from Norse and Teutonic myths:

ODIN is of course named for Odin the All-Father, the ruler of the Norse gods.

HUGIN and MUNIN take their names from Odin's two ravens, which fly around the world bringing information to him - reflecting how the Ausmerzer flies around America seeking out rebels and terrorists who threaten the Nazi regime.

The password "Valhalla" references the mythological realm believed by the Vikings to be inhabited by warriors who die in battle.

The concept of the Ausmerzer is likely inspired by the Helicarrier from Marvel Comics but its appearance draws more influence from the the HK Aerial from the Terminator franchise.

The name is derived from the German verb "ausmerzen" which means "to weed out" or "to eradicate", which aligns with its mission to eliminate any sign of resistance to the Nazi regime in the United States.